


A Hazy Vermillion

by cleopatraslibrary



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: (explained in notes), Anxiety, Demon Hunter Ryan Bergara, Demon Shane Madej, M/M, Supernatural Elements, Tagged Explicit for Language and Gore, The Bergara family are famous demon hunters, animal cruelty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2020-08-10 09:33:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20133241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cleopatraslibrary/pseuds/cleopatraslibrary
Summary: Prompt: Demonhunter/Priest Ryan has finally cornered Demon Shane and is ready to exorcise the little shit to kingdom come, but Shane manages to bargain with the hunter for his life. The exchange? Serving as Ryan's lifetime demonhunting assistant and giving away the locations of all his brothers and sisters. Maybe they fall in love along the way, maybe a demon gets attached.





	A Hazy Vermillion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [big_brother_wrath](https://archiveofourown.org/users/big_brother_wrath/gifts).

> Animal cruelty tag: there is a situation where Ryan has to defend himself against hellhounds. It could be reminiscent of inflicting hurt or harm on a dog and/or wolf. Just a general warning, as it isn't too graphic. Throughout the entire piece, there is a running undercurrent of anxiety in the main character. Please read with caution if these might be squicks and or triggers. 
> 
> Do not send or distribute this to any of the people mentioned above. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to hunt you down.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

“Oh, Ryan!” it called coyly. “Come out, come out, wher ever you are!”

Ryan ran. 

He didn’t look back, clutching the silver cross in his hand tightly, leaving a bread trail of holy water and salt in his wake. They wouldn’t hurt it for long, but it would stall the demon just long enough so that Ryan could get away from it.

The leaves crunched beneath his feet and he made a sharp right behind an old oak, spotting a cabin in the middle of the forest. Between them was sharp underbrush. He couldn’t afford to get cut -- it might stop the chase to spellcast and that’s the exact opposite of what Ryan needed.

He scanned the surrounding area, looking for a clearing, when he spotted one behind a cluster of slim trees.

He froze when he felt a hand snake around his arm. “Boo,” it murmured against his ear, sending a shiver down his spine. Ryan reached into his pocket, fumbling for a bottle of holy water. He prayed silently as he twisted off the cap, and threw the holy water in its’ face. It wretched its’ hand away, and Ryan bolted with a litany of curses flying behind him.

He twisted between the underbrush, as if dancing to a tune only he could hear. But he didn’t hear any tune; just his own heavy breaths, his movement against the forest floor, and the mechanical sound of his radio, signalling the demon’s next sidestep behind him. 

The dirt turned into stone and Ryan glanced up in time to leap over the stairs, onto the rickety porch. He didn’t spare a glance behind him; he knew the demon was right on his tail. He threw the door open and leaned back against it heavily after he shut and locked it. He took a second to pretend to catch his breath as he stared into the wide room, shoving the crucifix into his pocket.

On the far right side was a fireplace, with a deer head hanging over the mantle. In front of the mantle was a round, oriental rug, with red and gold accents. All of the furniture was covered with cloth tarps and pushed against the natural log walls. To the left was an open kitchen, with a center island and a cast iron stove and new-looking fridge against the wall. Other than that, it looked abandoned. 

Ryan took a few steps forward, and started twisting around, continuously changing direction at any odd noise. He had no idea where it was going to come in.

He should’ve known it’d be the front door. 

(Demons were always so prideful.)

It burst open, and it stood in a proud glory, with its head held high and its eyes flashing crimson. “Ryan Bergara,” it cooed. “It’s my lucky day.” It took a step forward. 

“Amadeusz,” he greeted, taking a step back, towards the fireplace. Its’ pupils slit and it smiled dangerously.

“Well, you are good. Gotta admit, I thought the famous demon hunter may have been more legend than fact. What’d I do so special as to make your acquaintance?” it asked, taking another two steps.

Ryan mirrored it, taking another two backwards. The ground shifted; he was on the rug. “Left a sloppy trail. It’s not you I want,” he clarified. “I want your brothers and sisters.”

It chuckled, the sound reverberating throughout the house. “Oh, yeah? That’s nice, but uh,” it looked around exaggeratedly, “it looks like we’re all alone.”

Three more steps forward; slow, not unlike a predator hunting down its prey.

(Three more steps backward; take slow, even breaths. Let it come to you.)

Ryan didn’t swallow, but he wanted to. Instead, he curled his lips upward into a mockery of an inviting smile. “I wouldn’t mind if we called a few of ‘em up. Could have a real party. Maybe kill a few innocents, bathe in their blood, get lost in the pheromones…” He knew his heart was hammering away in his chest. He knew it could hear it, clear as thunder in a late spring storm.

(He knew it would be a distraction, that it will work in his favor.)

Amadeusz clicked its tongue three times. “Yeah, no, that’s not what you want.” It was growing agitated. “Tell me, how’d such a clever little human such as yourself get caught by a low level like me? You’ve quite the bounty on your head, you know,” it said, tipping its head forward and raising its eyebrows. It took another step.

This time, Ryan didn’t move.

“I heard you slaughtered your family when you were still human.” It stopped cold, all air of confidence and cockiness gone. In its place, a skittering of nerves went down Ryan’s back as it went an unearthly quiet in the desolate cabin. “The story is, you had sold your soul to the devil and when your family found out, they tried to kill you to save it. Save you. Is that it, Amadeusz? Is that what happened?”

“You--” But it didn’t move yet. It had to move.

“Then, afterwards, you sliced them up real good, and ate them. Is that it, Amadeusz? Any truth to the tale of the beginning of your dreadful en--?”

Its’ eyes flickered, and the predator pounced.

It didn’t shout. It didn’t yell. It didn’t scream. Instead, in a deathly calm voice, it said, “You’re going to pay for that,” and stalked forward with one of its arms outreached for Ryan’s neck.

Finally, finally , Amadeusz was on the rug.

Ryan ducked and slid onto the wooden floor, getting away from the runes that were about to activate.

There was an awful sizzling sound and the smell of burnt flesh permeated the air as Amadeusz fell to its’ knees and cried out in pain. It started cursing in another language. 

Ryan got up and walked next to the sigil. It couldn’t touch him, now. 

He got a look at its’ hands. Ooh, yikes. That’s gonna hurt for awhile. 

“I gotta say, my improvisation skills are getting better. Really, you tried to eat your parents? That’s pretty gross, dude.” It looked up at Ryan in contempt. “Did you have any brothers, or sisters? That’d make it like, a hundred times worse, I think. Makes it really perverted.” He turned away and walked to the other side of the cabin, pulling out his bag from the cabinet underneath the island.

He glanced at it. “You really think I’m such an amateur that I’d get caught by the likes of you?” He dumped some of the bags’ contents onto the table, salt pouches, crucifixes, and other various books falling onto the counter. It hissed from the other side of the room. “Oh, sorry about that, dude,” Ryan called cheerfully. “My bad, you goddamn leech.” He frowned at the contents on the island, before he knelt down. Ah, there it was. 

He shook out his jacket and got up, pulling it on, then grabbed his exorcism book and a vial of holy water off the tabletop. “Let’s get this over with, shall we?” he said, as he made his way in front of the demon.

“Get what over with.” 

It might’ve been aiming to ask, or even snark or anger, but its voice came out flat and emotionless. Good. It’s still disoriented from being inside the trap. 

“Your first Communion. What the hell do you think? Your exorcism, leech.”

Its eyes snapped up. “What?”

Ryan rolled his eyes impatiently. “Your… exorcism?” he asked sarcastically. He thumbed open the book, showing it the ancient Latin verses. “You know, that thing, where you get sent back to the fiery pits? Have a good lava soaking with Lucifer? All that shit?”

It started to shake its head. “No, no, you can’t send me back. Please, you cannot send me back.”

Ryan frowned slightly. It continued its pleas.

It was… disconcerting. Every demon has a gimmick when they’re faced with their ultimate destruction. They try to coerce, they try to seduce. They try to kill. 

Never, has Ryan encountered a demon who tried to beg.

It kept talking. “Please, I cannot go back into that pit. They torture me, they hurt me, they brand me and try to stake claim when I’ve nothing left to give to them. I can-- You said before you wanted my brothers and sisters! I can help. I can help you search for them and -- and-- find… them. Please. If not that, then kill me . You probably know how. The Bergaras have to have a way. Kill me. Please don't send me back.”

For a second, the crimson in its eyes rescinded. 

For a second, there was a flash of dark brown, staring at Ryan with hopelessness and despair.

For a second, it showed humanity.

(It’s a trick, it has to be a trick.)

Its face twisted and it put its head to the ground, kneeling. It continued to beg.

God damn it.

“What the hell are you doing,” he muttered to himself and he turned his back and walked towards the island. “What the hell are you doing?” He raised his voice. “Alright, leech. Prove it to me, right now. Tell me one low level operation, right now.”

It stuttered for a second, before saying, “Uh. New Jersey. Burlington County. A big drug operation infiltrating the schools. Already affecting the class systems, creating a wider margin between students who stay clean and get good grades and those who don't. Estimated amount of students affected in each school district is roughly 11,000 per year.”

Ryan looked at it for a minute, before he pulled out a map hidden in one of the books. “You some kind of secretary?” he asked, unfolding it.

“No, just-- pay attention, ‘sall.”

“Alright then. Let’s see.” He opened the map of America, with red marking most of it. All of the red were demon hangouts, with levels of violence and criminal activity recorded as well.

Most had been exterminated by the Bergaras, with a few other helpful Harriets that came across them along the way, but the demons always came crawling back. Always.

He looked down New Jersey -- what a shit state, it’s got so much red it’s practically Hell by now -- and searched for Burlington County. 

Sure enough, ‘drug operation via schools -- vio lvl. 2’ was written in the margins. 

Ryan sighed internally. Goddamn it. “Two more operations. Different states. Go.”

“Uh. Human trafficking in Nevada, ruled by Caduto. Las Vegas area. Targets are primarily young girls. Runaways. Estimated amount of buyers affected is 29,000 per year. Victims, 72,000 per year.” It paused for a second and Ryan read the map. It was right on the money -- even Ryan hadn’t figured out who was running it, yet. At this point, though, it would be fine without Caduto. The business might even strive without it, because it was probably hogging the customers. “Another one would be located around Austin, Texas. An internet operation creating false information, spreading propaganda and fake news in order to build a distrust between the government and the electorate. Estimated amount of constituents affected is 57,000,000 per election and varying immensely between the presidential races, Senatorial races, and House races.”

Ryan stared down at the map. The Bergaras had it down, but not to the extent that Amadeusz was saying it was. They thought it was only reaching -- maybe -- a few thousand, considering some of the crazy shit they were posting. Christ.

(It shouldn’t be reliable. Why is it reliable? It’s a ploy, it’s fake. It has to be fake.)

It wasn’t fake. The proof was right in front of him.

He needed to think.

“I need to think,” he said aloud. Ryan shoved the map away, dropping it on the floor without a second glance. He stalked over to a covered piece of furniture and pulled off the linen. He sat down heavily on the faded couch and gazed passively over at the demon.

It still knelt inside the runes, not having moved from when it originally fell. Its eyes were intent on Ryan, though.

“Why don't you want to go back?” he asked it.

It looked away and was silent for a moment. Ryan didn’t say anything else to probe it; he was just curious. He already made up his mind.

“I… I rem-- You reminded me.” 

Ryan blinked. “Reminded you? Of what?”

“My life. Before my dreadful end.” It smiled sardonically. “You weren’t right, by the way. Just thought I’d point that out.”

The tack-on startled a laugh out of Ryan. “Sure. Alright, leech. How about this? I will never exorcise you or in any way, shape, or form, try to send you back to Hell, and for the rest of my life, you have to work for me in assisting me take out demons and their operations. That means pulling apart their empires and drenching them in holy water. That means telling me the names of your brothers and sisters. That means protecting me and my own when we’re on missions. That means you stay with me when I’m on missions. That means you can never hurt my family, which includes death. And you should know, my family isn’t just blood. Full time protection for them. Not like they need it,” he added under his breath.

It blinked a couple of times. “May I make a request?”

( Never. )

Ryan shrugged, though he wanted to deny it and make it squirm. Instead he said, “Sure. Knock yourself out.”

“Your family and associates cannot exorcise me, either.”

Immediately, Ryan’s heckles rose. “No, absolutely not.”

“Fine, if not all associates, then just blood relatives. If I happen to run into a demon hunter that isn’t related to the Bergaras, then that’s on me, fine. But if that’s going to be the case, then when I’m with you, I want protection from other hunters.” It jutted out its jaw. “‘Any way, shape, or form,’ you just said. Telling your family to exorcise me fits that category, and if I’m working with them, I want the guarantee they can’t hurt me if I can’t hurt them. And that’s the only thing that’ll hurt me.”

It made sense, as much as Ryan hated it. “Fine, yes. No exorcisms will be performed by blood relatives. And how about we do this? We add an escape mode. I’m aware this is a deal we’re exchanging right now, but my soul’s not going to be hurt by it because that’s not what we’re bargaining for. However, it puts my name in Hell’s guest book. I can release you at any time, of your ‘service’, and it immediately nulls our agreement. No more missions and operations for you and, as a special bonus, if you leave immediately, I won’t exorcise you, but if I run into you again, you’re free meat. And any record of this deal is wiped from any personal or ‘public’ records. Anything else?”

It thought for a moment. “You stop referring to me as an ‘it’.”

Ryan tensed. Could it read his thoughts?

(If it could read his thoughts, it was over over over, it’d have too much information, too much evidence, too much power over Ryan, he couldn’t have that, that’s not a thing that can happen, he needs to stop this, why isn’t he stopping this--)

It didn’t respond to the direct thought, verbally or expressively. Ryan eyed it and rather than voice the worry -- a worry is a weakness for them to exploit -- he asked, “What do you want to be referred to as, then?”

“He or him.”

This was so surreal. “Alright, then. Got a name, too? Amadeusz is a mouthful.” Not like he gave a shit, but whatever.

It -- he -- blinked a couple times and didn’t respond for a few minutes. “Madej,” he said at last. “Something Madej.”

“Do we have ourselves a deal, then, Something Madej?” Ryan asked. He sat up and walked in front of the rug, putting his right hand through the sigil.

Madej paused, before its-- his lips curled into a feral smile. “I reserve the right to kill you if you send me back to Hell, even if I have to crawl from beneath Lucifer’s feet to get to you.” He gripped onto Ryan’s hand. “It’s a deal,” he replied, shaking his hand. Ryan pulled away fast and breathed out heavily.

(It can kill him if he breaks the deal.)

“This day is too goddamn weird,” he said belatedly, before walking back to the couch and dropping down onto it. He pointedly ignored Amadeusz’ wince.

(He won’t break the deal.)

“Are you--”

“Shut up,” he said, leaning his head back. “I’ll let you out later. I’m taking a nap. Goodnight.”

“You can sleep with a demon in the room?” it-- he asked.

“You aren’t getting out of that thing without some pretty sick burns, so, yeah, I can, if you can shut up long enough for me to close my eyes. Goodnight, Madej. I’ll let you out when I wake up.”

It snorted. “Yeah, sure,” but Ryan was already drifting off.

\--

Ryan woke up slowly to the soft sound of sizzlings eggs. He breathed in deeply and smiled to himself. The sweet aroma of Italian sausage wafted throughout the house; he didn’t remember going home last night.

He sniffed again, and could smell an underlying odor of burnt flesh. He opened his eyes and blinked a few times, his contacts gummy and uncomfortable in his eyes. Then he realized, I’m in the cabin. 

He turned his head to look at the demon, but it wasn’t in the runes.

(It ran, it escaped and ran. Ryan let the goddamned thing escape.)

He jumped to his feet, unsheathing another dagger from his jacket. He was ready to make a first lap around the perimeter, searching for signs of where the leech went, when he noticed it-- him in the kitchen. 

At the stove.

Making… omelettes. 

He blinked again, but it was still uncomfortable and gummy. At least they hadn’t fallen out.

Madej looked over from the stove, his eyes a bright vermilion. “Good morning, gum drop.” Ryan scowled. “Thought I was going to run, hmm?”

Ryan snorted. “Yeah, as a matter of fact. Would have chased your sorry ass right to Hell, too, if you had,” he said, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. He still gripped onto the dagger, but didn’t have it extended. He thought that was progress. “How’d you get out?”

“I would prefer not to ever go back to Hell again, thank you very much,” Madej replied instead He turned off the stove and grabbed the cast iron skillet by the handle, pouring the eggs onto a plate made up of sausages and potatoes. He slid the dish across the counter. “Here, come sit and eat. I have some things I want to discuss with you.” He eyed the plate warily. Madej rolled his eyes. “Seriously, it’s literally a part of our agreement that I can’t kill you. Just eat them.”

Just as he was about to say he wasn’t hungry, Ryan’s stomach growled. Loudly. 

Madej raised a brow. 

Ryan scowled. 

Madej tilted his head to the side.

Ryan clenched his jaw.

“Fine,” he bit out, sitting down heavily on an uncovered stool. He grabbed a sausage and shoved it in his mouth so he didn’t have to talk.

( What are you doing, it could poison you! )

( Shut up, Ryan , he told himself.)

“Alright,” Madej said, like he had an opinion. “I found a blank map in one of your books. A smaller map, only of the West Coast. Figured we could start there, seeing as we’re near Los-- LA.” Ryan raised a brow, but he only continued. He slid it across the table, showing it to him. “I marked down demon only operations first.” Ryan opened his mouth to disagree, despite him being in the middle of chewing. “I know, I know. You want to save as many humans as possible. But trust me; go after the little guys now. 

“First of all, there’s going to be little to none human crossfire, except for you and other hunters. Second, you don't want to just go for the big guns first. You need to train.” Ryan opened his mouth to argue. Madej put up his hands. “Hey, I’m not saying you aren’t a good hunter, or can’t fight, or whatever, but it’s prudent to remember: these guys may not be at the big gun’s levels, but they’re still murderers, who enjoy slaughtering and drawing out the kill. They’re not at the big gun’s level, because they aren’t smart enough to be. Not because they can’t maim you. They’re good practice, because they’re just as strong as the big guns. ”

Ryan swallowed his sausage. He read some of the margins and it made sense; many of them seemed to be harvesting souls for later usage. He exhaled softly through his nose. “I’ve only known you for two days and you’re the most annoying person I know. Stop being so logical, it’s too early for this shit.” He grabbed a fork and viciously stabbed an egg, taking a bite. 

It tasted delicious. 

Bastard.

He laughed. “‘Stop being logical.’ Can’t say that’s not the first time I heard that. But, aww, you flatter me, Ryan. You think I’m a person?” He fluttered his eyes lashes at him.

“I did not say you were a person.” He took another bite.

“Oh, yes you did, you just said I’m the most annoying person you know.” He sounded smug. The bastard. So Ryan called him that. “Ah, nk, nk, nk,” he said, clucking his tongue. “Did your mother raise you to use that language?”

Ryan tensed and glared meanly at the demon. “Do not. Joke. About my mother.” 

All of the demon’s good humor had vanished in a second, and a foreboding atmosphere weighed heavily down on them.

“Look,” Ryan and Madej said together. They both stopped and Ryan gestured for Madej to continue.

“We’re going to be together for awhile. We’re going to have to at least trust one another, if nothing else. So, how about we just truce. Call me a leech, or whatever. I don't really care. Let’s just not openly antagonize each other when we work. Yeah?”

Ryan exhaled. “Yeah.” God , this was probably a mistake. “Yeah. Truce. Why don't we start here?” He pointed at a tiny marking on the map. “Howling Cemetery.” Ryan blinked and squinted. “Who names a cemetery ‘Howling’, Jesus Christ.”

“Souls of the damned must get freaky at night,” Madej commented. Ryan bit his lip to keep from laughing aloud. “Howling is a pretty simple operation; you got a spell book?” 

Ryan nodded, inhaling another egg. He tossed it over. “Oh, this is cute. Very Child’s Play .” Madej flipped through the pages, clicking his tongue every so often. “These spells are basic. You’ve anything better?”

He ate a slice of potato. “Not here, no. I was just doing normal exorcisms. Wasn’t planning on anything big before going back to home base.” 

Madej twisted his lips. 

“Is that a problem?” he probed.

“No, no. I have what’s needed memorized. Two spells, one Wiccan, one demon. 

“The first one is easy, the Wiccan’s. It’s a spell to reveal the dead and unDying to humans. Can’t communicate with them, or anything, unless the unDying is in a vessel; you can just see their location. You boil about a litre of naturally water in open air, with aspects of the Earth mixed within.” Ryan stared at him as he chewed and Madej rolled his eyes. “Just some dirt, or rocks from the bottom of the river or lake or whatever. The Wiccan are very peaceful; they draw their power from the Earth and send it back when they’re done. Add six rose petals, sliced, a drop of demon’s blood, a sprig of sage, and incant.”

Ryan thought the demon’s blood might counteract whatever peacefulness Madej was talking about, but he didn’t say anything. “What’s the incantation?”

“‘ They dance in air, arise and bare; deceitful. Let me gaze upon them. 

They rest in flame, disguise to maim; unfaithful. Let me get whiff of them. 

They shape in water, lost stalker; disgraceful. Let me bathe within them. 

They walk in Earth, new rebirth; audacious. Let me tangle with them. 

Grant me sight and smell, might and Hell; grant me sound and touch, ground and Judge. Hear my plea, as I mote it be .”

They sat in silence as Ryan merely looked at Madej. Seriously. What was that? Was he supposed to remember that?

“It’s supposed to be read in Latin,” Madej added helpfully.

Ryan groaned. “Let me guess, can only be read by a mortal?”

“Yep,” he replied, popping the ‘p’. 

“Great, that’s-- that’s just wonderful. Your demon spell better be easier than this shit.”

He gestured vaguely. “For you, it is. Just a simple removal of ownership, so that the souls can either ascend or descend naturally.”

Ryan eyed him, before shrugging. “Alright, I’ll go grab some river water. There’s a tiny junction about a quarter of a mile North. Let’s get this show on the road.”

\--

For as much as he verbally complained about it to Madej, he memorized the spell fairly quickly. It wasn’t that hard. It only took a few times hearing it before he knew what they had to do.

They had stayed in the cabin for two days, planning their attack. Ryan drove in silence, before glancing at Madej and opening his mouth.

(He couldn’t take the silence.)

“Alright, going over operation If You Screw This Up Somehow, You’re Released From The Agreement And Going Directly to Hell, volume 1 .” Ryan tightened his grip on the wheel, listening to Madej laugh at him. Ugh. Whatever. “We’re gonna go to this abandoned warehouse, because of course it’s in an abandoned warehouse, right? I’m going to drink half the potion and you’re gonna pour the rest at each directional marker.”

Ryan paused and watched Madej roll his eyes in his peripheral. “Yeah, so you aren’t overwhelmed by how many spirits are present around the warehouse. You’d be surprised.”

“Yeah, surprised,” he grumbled. Then, he cleared his throat and continued. “Thanks for the exposition. Anyway. I’m going in, gonna find the cage. Let them out--”

“No, you’re going to guard them.”

“I’m letting them out--”

“You’re guarding them--”

“Goddamn it, no, you’re going to fight--”

“You’re going to guard--”

“--the demons while I--

“--the souls while I complete the spell--”

“--let them out!”

“--to transfer their souls control under my jurisdiction.”

What?

“What?”

“You won’t be able to let them out. Physically and spiritually, it’s impossible, because of the bounds of demonic jurisdiction. They have complete control over them and, therefore, can do whatever the hell they want with the souls. I’m going to cast a spell which transfers the jurisdiction so that you can let them out.”

“They wouldn’t just ascend naturally or whatever?”

Madej huffed. “No, dumbass. They will not. Because they weren’t acquired naturally.” He paused. “Well, they wouldn’t ascend naturally anyway, because of the jurisdiction. The demon has to release them for them to ascend and demons just. Don't do that.”

“You will.”

Ryan glanced over, just to watch as Madej rolled his eyes again. “Yeah, but only because of our agreement. They have a shit ton of souls. We’re lucky they’re just collecting them, and haven’t been imbibing them. That’s why you have to guard, so they can’t imbibe them and obliterate us. Got it?”

Ryan turned off the main road, onto a poorly paved back way. “Got it.”

\--

Guarding was boring. 

Like, so boring.

He’d already drawn his demon traps and laid a thick line of salt around those.

So here he was.

Bored.

Souls, though.

Souls weren’t boring.

Souls were gorgeous.

He couldn’t see his own soul, probably because he was still alive, but Madej had been right. There were spirits -- souls -- everywhere. 

As soon as Madej had sent him a text, saying he’d poured the potion, he stealthed his way into the warehouse. 

It had been easy. Way too easy.

For a few minutes, Ryan had thought it was a trap.

(It was a trap, it was a trap, Ryan was going to die alone in a warehouse, fifteen minutes outside of Los Angeles, because he had decided to put a misguided trust in a demon, when you never trust demons. Demons aren’t trustworthy, it’s going to kill you. )

( It’s going to kill you. )

It was quite the mindset.

And then he had paused and realized what he could see.

The potion had granted him Divine Sight, so he could see every living, unliving, or Undead being within the parameters of the warehouse. He knew exactly where the demons were and had been tempted to go after them, to just send them back. Then he remembered what Madej had said when they were still planning their attack.

“Now, you have to remember: you can’t send them back immediately.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’ll send the souls with them. They, whether legitimately or not, own them. They own those souls. So, they’ll just go back to Hell with them, and probably get a sticker for their efforts.”

The demons weren’t clustered together; five on the top floor, seven on the second level, and four ground level. The imprisoned souls were in the basement.

He had been able to see the darkness within each demon; some pitch black, others with red seeping and swirling around. All looking angry and wispy. He didn’t know which one was Madej, but he didn’t bother looking any more than necessary.

Not when he could look at the imprisoned souls. 

He snuck into the basement, bypassing the shitty alarm systems with ease, and barely held in his gasp as he had made his way down the stairs.

The chains were obvious around them; a black, misty chain that kept them suppressed and locked together. But they were all bright and colorful. All sweet and pure. All ready to ascend.

So, back in reality. Guarding was boring.

So, rather than watch the stairs and door, he looked at the souls. 

He was just beginning to make out each individual outline, when some demon ass set off the alarm stationed at the top of the stairs. And it wasn’t Madej, either, because he texted Madej about all of the trip wires and shit. 

( He could’ve betrayed you , his mind whispered again.)

( Shut up and get ready to fight , he replied.)

It came running down and paused. Sniffed the air obviously, and turned slowly, crimson eyes blazing, before they landed on him. The demon caught sight of Ryan and it smiled, its teeth straight and shiny. It drew a gun and shot at him. Ryan dodged and drew the rapier from its sheath on his belt. 

It shot a few more times, emptying the clip before it clicked his tongue. “Ugh. Guns are quite useless on quick shits like you.” It tilted its head to the side and Ryan’s eyes widened as he watched a tendril of its damaged soul sneakily try to reach past Ryan, towards the souls. They visibly recoiled against its’ energy, even despite the precautions made. 

He swung down hard and it screeched. “You shit!” it screamed, before the vessel came running at Ryan.

An exorcism was at the tip of his tongue when he remembered what Madej said. 

( What are you supposed to do then ?)

It swiped out its hand and Ryan slashed quickly, before jabbing it twice in the side. It screeched again and Ryan stared as it stood up.

Stared as it stood in its’ glory.

He had seen demons before. Seen their vessels. Seen their eyes. Seen them fight dirty, and brutally.

Never had he seen one with its’ essence leaking out of its vessel, draping around and inside of it like a deadly cloak.

It was a beautiful, gory sight.

Its’ face was heart-shaped and resembled a porcelain doll; a straight nose, sharp cheekbones, and full lips. It’s only abnormality were its scarlet eyes, which seemed to bleed down the vessel’s cheeks and into a wispy noose wrapped around its throat. From there, the demon’s soul blossomed, tendrils spreading out menacingly. It didn’t bother to tend to the gaping hole in its side.

(You can’t fight that.)

Ryan stepped back into the demon traps, but it only followed him. It didn’t cross the threshold, but it didn’t look like it would have any issues destroying it.

(It betrayed you.)

He glanced up at the stairs; nothing seemed to have followed this one, but it was only a matter of time. Through the floors, Ryan could see different demons clustering together now. 

Where would a weak spot be on this demon?

( There is none , his mind declared.)

( Shut up , he snarled back.)

“You look distinctly like a Bergara,” it said, its voice a sweet soprano, with a sour edge. “Are you a cousin? Son? Uncle?” It looked him up and down, then narrowed its eyes on the rapier. “No… You’re someone far more important than an uncle.”

It started to move, the inky black shifting restlessly. He followed its movements as it began to circle the souls.

Ryan hummed. “Maybe. Who are the Bergaras?” he asked.

(His pulse remained steady.)

It scoffed, tilting its neck to the side. Ryan’s eyes fell on the glowing noose.

That was his target, he realized.

He raised the rapier, and charged.

It didn’t hesitate to dodge and it became a recital of old routines.

(“Point your toes as you sweep your leg across the ground.”)

He took aim at the tendrils of the damaged soul, sliding across the concrete, away from the traps. 

(“Take control as you lead. Carefully spin your partner -- never gracelessly.”)

It threw a dagger at his shoulder and he jumped out of the way, lunging another attack on its vessel’s other side. Blood splurt out of the wound and he dragged the blade through its innards as he circled the demon. It screeched as it fell in front of the staircase.

“Ryan… Bergara!”

He didn’t stop moving, though he’d been struck with the impulse to freeze. Instead, he blinked owlishly.

“Never… heard of him,” he replied mockingly.

“Only he…” it panted, “had the smarts… to engrave… blessing runes… into his weapons. Liar!”

He pulled the rapier out as it got up again, a piece of liver hanging loosely from the gaping hole in its side.

“You’re going… to die… tonight,” it said. Ryan glanced up; none of the demons on the other floors had moved. 

“Or not,” he replied. He stepped back into a demon trap in front of the souls. He pulled out his phone and called. 

He answered on the second ring.

“Blood’s been spilt. Let’s go.”

(It betrayed him. It betrayed you.)

There was a whispered spell on the other side of the line, before cutting dead, and the demon went rigid in its position.

“What the--?” the demon murmured, as a black strand materialized around the wrists of its vessel. Spirals of a coppery gold manifested around it and Ryan stared as Madej’s true form appeared behind the other demon.

“I’ll take those, thanks so much,” Madej said, inhaling deeply as the gold accepted the black strands. 

“Amadeusz? Is that you, Amadeusz?”

Madej smiled dangerously. “Oh no, I’ve been compromised,” he said jovially.

At a lightning speed, his arm shot out and grabbed the red knot around the other demon’s neck. The demon gasped as he twisted and, within seconds, the damaged tendrils rescinded back into the small, scarlet wisp of smoke. 

“See you soon,” he sang, and the demon sunk into the floor. It left a few spare embers burning in its wake.

Ryan kicked at them. “Huh.” He shrugged a little to himself, before dragging his gaze away. “You get the complete jurisdiction? Because I--”

He cut himself off when he caught sight of Madej. His soul looked similar to the other demon’s. Like a black velvet cloak enshrouding his tall body. There weren’t as many tears, or tendrils, though. And rather than a bright vermillion, his noose was like a solid gold, square collar. It was connected to a garland of spiked metal, which dug into his vessel’s forehead.

He should have bled, but he didn’t. 

Couldn’t.

An invisible crown with a cangue to match.

Wow.

“Yeah, it’s all checked out. I’ve got the power. The others here are checked out. Will be for another seventeen minutes. You shouldn’t have any issues with the exorcisms.”

Ryan blinked, before forcing himself to pay attention. “Alright. We’ll send these souls off first, then you can get back to the car as I exorcise them. Good?” Madej paused deliberately, then nodded. “Good.” He turned his attention to the souls, watching as the magickal black faded, and one by one began to fade themselves. “Hey, do you know when this potion wears off?”

Madej shifted next to him and Ryan glanced at him. “You’ve still got Divine Sight?”

“Yeah, it’s why I’m asking when it’s going to wear off,” he bit out, getting irritated. 

“I dunno -- it should’ve already. It wears off naturally, and usually within the first hour of consumption. Just give it a bit. And even if it doesn’t fade before we leave, it doesn’t matter much because we’ll be leaving the designated spot.”

He said something crude after that, but Ryan couldn’t hear it. Another soul twisted, fading out of existence, leaving behind a chilled blue hue in the air. Ryan held back his sigh as the anger drained. “Yeah, sure. Okay. I’m gonna get started on the third floor exorcisms. Get into the car.” Ryan wiped off the side of his blade on his pants and sheathed his rapier.

“Should I fix up the GPS, sugar plum?”

Ryan didn’t bare his teeth; he counted it as a win towards truces. “Nope. We’re going somewhere off the map.” 

“Oh? Pray tell.”

He smiled without mirth as he pushed past Madej and made his way up the stairs.

“We’re going to the Bergara household.”

\--

[incoming call from: Jake 21:43]

[declined call from: Jake 21:43]

[incoming text from: Jake 21:44]

Jake: dude where u at???

[incoming text from: Jake 21:44]

Jake: ppl are getting worried

[outgoing text to: Jake 21:47]

Ryan: tell the masses to chill. got serious shit to discuss when i get back. 

[outgoing text to: Jake 21:48]

Ryan: i’m safe & accounted for. took down a soul collecting op. all excised.

[incoming call from: Jake 21:48]

[declined call from: Jake 21:49]

[1 new voicemail from: Jake at 21:50]

[incoming text from: Jake 21:51]

Jake: bruh u right we need to talk

[incoming text from: Jake 21:52]

Jake: and since when do you use periods in txt msgs???

\--

Ryan killed the engine in front of the Bergara house. It was an old stone, built sturdy in the early 1900s, in the middle of nowhere. The lights were on; seemed that now they’ve heard from him, they’re going to want explanations as to why he hasn’t called or signaled. 

He checked the time. 2:24.

Shit. He was screwed.

( He didn’t deserve to have such a nice, understanding family. He didn’t deserve to be welcomed home after leaving them in the dark. )

He didn’t dwell on the thought for too long, though he did dwell on it. “Come on, let’s go. Gotta face the music,” he said, popping open his door. He began to trek across the yard to the tiny porch. He breathed in the evergreen; despite the tension thrumming in his body, it felt good to be home.

Madej leered at him as he opened his own door. “S’long as we get to tango, baby.”

Ryan rolled his eyes, wanting a shower and just go to sleep.

“Oh, uh. Hey. Ryan.” He turned around, looking at Madej, who was standing sheepishly by the car. It seemed he hadn’t moved since he got out. “I, uh. I can’t come in.”

“And why not?”

“The place is trapped to high Heaven. I doubt Luci himself could get in.” He shrugged. “Well, I mean, of course he’d be able to get in, but you know what I mean.”

Ryan sighed. “If I break them, will the blessings affect you?”

“Eh. Minimize my power, but that’s about it. I just won’t be as strong.”

“Cool,” he said, before pulling out a dagger and carving a line into the first rune he found on a tree. “That’s fine.”

“‘Cool,’ he says. ‘That’s fine,’ he says. Clearly, you don't care about me as much as I thought you did.” The leech was probably pouting; not like Ryan could be bothered to actually check, though.

Ryan shuffled over to the next tree. “I don't care about you at all, Madej.”

“Ooh, ouch. That hurts.”

The front door burst open. Ryan looked up as a shit ton of lights came on. “Hey, paps,” he called, waving the dagger-clad hand.

He realized a barrel was pointed in his direction. “What in God’s name are you doing?”

Ryan shrugged. “Cutting open the runes. Madej needs to come in.”

His father blinked, before looking towards the demon next to the car. Ryan looked back, and bit his lip. His eyes were still bright crimson. His father’s eyes widened comically, but then, not so comically, he started reciting an exorcism. 

Madej seized.

If Madej went to Hell… “Ah, shit. Paps, stop! Don't!” He dropped the dagger and ran across the forest ground up to the front door. He covered his mouth. “No, no, seriously, you have to hear me out first, stop, you can’t send him back.” His father’s mouth stopped moving under Ryan’s hand. He stared hard at Ryan and reluctantly, Ryan pulled it away.

“What’s this about?”

Ryan looked back. Madej was breathing heavily, on his knees, leaning against the car door. He looked like shit.

“Not just us. I need Mama and Jake first. Then the rest of the family. Blood family.”

His father’s eyes flickered between the two of them. He asked, “‘Him’?”

Ryan’s eyes closed and he breathed out. “With Mama and Jake. Can you help me break the traps so he can come in?”

“No, I won’t.”

He didn’t bother opening his eyes before as he turned around and started walking away. “Alright.”

“Alright what?”

“Alright, I’ll sleep in the car.”

“Ryan, you are not sleeping in the car with a fu--” He cut himself off and took a deep breath. “You are not sleeping in a car with a demon sitting next to you.”

“I am sleeping in the car--”

“You are not sleeping in the car.”

“--because clearly you need a lesson--”

“You’re not sleeping next to a demon to--”

“--as to my area of expertise in our field--”

“--prove a point.” 

“--when it comes to trust.”

His father stopped talking, and Ryan opened his eyes, looking behind him. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I’m grown now. I can make my own decisions and act on my own will. And I trust my instincts. Madej is fine. Yeah, he’s a leech, but Christ, whatever. He just provided me with a bunch of great info, and helped me shut down a soul smuggling operation. So, I may not trust him, but I trust my instincts. And my instincts say I can sleep next to him in the driver’s seat and not be dead in the morning. 

“So, goodnight, paps. See you at sunrise.”

His father didn’t bother to stop him as he made his way back to his car. “Get in, Madej.”

He opened his door. “Did you tell him about the deal?” 

“Nope.” Ryan climbed inside and pulled the door shut behind him, slamming it on purpose.

“Why are you sleeping out here?”

“I have a point to prove.” He reclined his seat and settled in, closing his eyes.

“They don't have any reason to trust me,” Madej pointed out as he shut his own door.

“Neither do I.”

“You have the deal--”

Ryan cut him off. “Which you can break at any time. I know how demon contracts operate. You have the real power here. You know how to break out of demon traps. You know how to track down the Bergaras now. Because you were loyal for a mission and we’re not on a mission now, you can kill me, and technically, we’re done. You’ve fulfilled your side of the bargain. You’ve served me to the end of my life.” He laughed humorlessly. “I forgot to include myself in that whole ‘not killing’ part of the agreement. So, y’know what? This is entirely on you. Trust tests. Goodnight, Madej. Maybe I’ll see you again in the morning.”

He didn’t say anything else, so Ryan breathed out once, and dreamed of glowing souls and golden chains.

\--

“How did this happen?” Mama asked. 

They were sitting in a local diner, a good 10 miles from home. They sat in the farthest corner from the entrance, with everyone keeping an eye on the three doors. 

Madej hadn’t killed him.

(He didn’t know how to feel about it, so he felt nothing at all. He had his family to worry about.)

“I told you already, Mama. I trapped him to exorcise him, he offered a deal to help hunt down other demons, and I accepted.”

“There are, of course, other circumstances within the agreement.”

“Oh, yeah? Like what?” Jake asked. Ryan could tell he had a weapon pointed at Madej under the table by how carefully his arm was positioned just below view.

“You know, all that old boring stuff. No torturing the family, which, honestly, kind of sucks. Have to give names of other demons, and their operations. That’s pretty chill. No dying deaths on my hands.” Madej glanced at Ryan before looking back at Jake. “In return, none of you can exorcise me.”

“There’s also an escape option, so that there’s a way any sort of deal we had immediately goes null. It guarantees our safety,” Ryan added. 

“Speaking of, though. On the way here, we passed a witch’s cult. Not too far from your house, actually; just on the edge of the forest.”

“Witches aren’t real,” Jake said. Their father didn’t say anything, though, and Mama gazed at Madej with a contemplative look.

“Witches are real,” Madej corrected. “They derive their power from demons, usually. Most trade their souls immediately, rather than dying, and live on Hellish magick, instead of human’s natural magick. Cryptids and other conspiracies, though, are fake. Most of the time, conspiracies are created by demons, but more recently, humans have decided to live fictitiously.”

“What about aliens?” Ryan asked, intrigued despite his best attempts not to be. 

“Real, but not consciously involving themselves on Earth. The whole pyramid conspiracy theories were created by demons to further divide the human race and build the idea of Aryan supremacy and the uncivilization of other races.” They all stared at Madej. The demon shrugged. “What? It’s not like I created it.”

“You’re coming with me,” Mama abruptly said as she got out of her seat. “What’s your name again?”

“Call me Madej,” he replied, following her lead. 

“Great. Madej, let’s go.”

He shot a look at Ryan, but he didn’t know what she was doing either, so Ryan could only hope his mom didn’t exorcise him behind the restaurant.

His eyes followed them, watching as his mom paused at the counter and talked to the waiter, and then as they walked out the front door. That’s when his father pounced.

“How could you be so reckless, Ryan?”

“It was reckless,” he admitted. His father looked taken aback. “But he proved himself that night in the cabin and then again last night. I don't know; you should have seen him. He asked not to be exorcised and then offered to give up his siblings. Who fu-- Who does that?”

“Why do you say him? As if it’s human?” Jake asked, his lip curled. 

“That was another… aspect of the deal.”

( Liar .)

Jake snorted derisively. “Right.”

“You brought it to our base, Ryan. You put us in danger.”

( You put the family in danger. You’re nothing. You’re worthless. How could you betray them like this? )

“He had the opportunity to kill me, now, twice. I don't trust him, but he’s going to be a powerful ally.”

“It’s only a low-level leech at best --”

“He begged !” Ryan suddenly exclaimed, his palms sweaty. “Look, he-- he begged not to be sent back. He-- has brown eyes.”

Paps eyes widened. “You saw its humanity?”

Ryan swallowed and looked down. “I thought I did. They flashed brown when he--” begged me to kill him .

“When what?” Jake asked, voice subdued.

“When he was in the trap, offering information,” he said instead.

( Liar .)

It was silent for a few minutes between the three men, before a waitress came up to the table. “Sausage and eggs?” she asked.

“We didn’t order anything,” Paps said.

“Your wife did, before she stepped out. Now. Sausage and eggs?”

“Probably me,” Jake offered. She put down the plate.

“Tuna melt?”

“That’ll be me,” Paps said. She set it in front of him.

“And here is ham and eggs on a bagel,” she said, giving Ryan a smile. “She said to tell you guys to eat, since she’s going to be awhile.”

“She tell you anything else?” Paps asked.

“No. Need any refills?”

“None, thanks.”

“No problem, dear. Call if you need anything.”

“What do you think she’s doing?” Jake asked as soon as the waitress was out of earshot.

“I’m not sure. We’ll find out soon enough,” Paps replied. He picked up a fork. “Eat up. If she said she’ll be awhile, she’s going to be awhile.”

\--

Three hours later, Ryan’s phone vibrated in his pocket.

He pulled it out and, to his discontent, it was Madej.

He answered.

“Yeah?”

“I don't care who you’re answering for, never pick up the phone like that,” his mother chided from the other end.

“Mama?”

Paps and Jake startled, looking over at Ryan and scooting closer.

“Who else? Tell your father his phone died and to pay the check. We’re outside, but… Madej won’t be able to come inside.”

( She just signed his death certificate .)

He stood still for a second, gathering himself, before he pulled the phone away from his face. “She says to pay so we can meet up with her outside, and that your phone is dead.” He lowered his voice as he spoke into the receiver. “What do you mean, ‘Madej won’t be able to come inside’? Did you exorcise him?”

( This is what liars deserve .)

“Aww, Ryan, I thought you didn’t care,” came Madej’s voice from farther away. Ryan watched as his father got up and pulled out his wallet, making his way up to the counter to pay.

Relief flooded him. He didn’t get the chance to insult him, though, as his mother started talking.

“No, he’s covered in blood. Wouldn’t want to scare the locals.”

( Was she hurt? Who did it hurt? Did it hurt any friends ?)

“What happened?”

“Just come out and we can talk then,” she replied and hung up. Paps pointed towards the door and headed out.

“Alright, let’s just… go out, then.”

Jake nodded. They collected themselves, pushing in their chairs, before he asked, “Are you okay?”

“What do you mean?”

Jake scratched the back of his head as they walked past the front counter, waving goodbye to the waitstaff. “I mean, are you okay? A year ago, you never would have made a deal with a leech, and now--”

“Now I was presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity. I know you didn’t get the chance before, since Mama took him away to do whatever, but he’s like an encyclopedia of demon operations. When we were preparing for Operation If You Screw This Up Somehow, You’re Released From The Agreement And Going Directly to Hell, volume 1 --” Jake laughed, “--he gave me a ton of names and confirmed even more than what we already knew. We can lessen a lot of demon activity. We can make a real difference and hopefully, with his help, actually help people , instead of just stopping operations.” He stopped in front of the doors. “I made a stupid mistake, making this deal, though.”

“What’s that?”

Ryan breathed out heavily as he looked out the door. He could see his parents in their truck, Madej probably in the back seat. “You can’t tell anyone.”

“You know I won’t.”

“Including our parents.”

Jake sucked in a breath next to him. He hesitated, before saying, “I won’t.”

“I didn’t include myself in the agreement.”

Ryan looked over, catching Jake’s befuddled eyes. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, Madej can kill me at any time. I forgot to include myself.”

“Dude, seriously? What the hell? And you had me agree to not telling--!?”

“Yes! Because they don't need to know, first of all. And second of all, Madej could have killed me already. Twice now. He hasn’t. This isn’t trust. You can never trust a leech. But I genuinely believe he doesn’t want to be a big baddie.”

Jake ran a hand through his hair. “Has he told you anything to make you believe that?”

“No. I saw his soul.” Ryan closed his eyes and thought of the molten gold. “It wasn’t like the other demons. Dark and black and all that shit, yeah, but it was different. Felt different, looked different.” He sighed and opened his eyes, looking intently back at Jake. “Christ, I don't know. But, I said this last night to Paps: I trust my instincts. And I can fall asleep next to him without any issue.”

Jake scrunched his nose. “Dude, I don't need to know your sex life.”

Ryan blinked, before punching him in the shoulder. “You asshat!”

Jake laughed as he pushed open the door. “C’mon, before they get suspicious that we’re plotting something.”

“Aren’t we always?”

He let the door slam into Ryan’s chest. “Of course,” he said behind the glass.

\--

“Let him inside,” Mama said.

“But the runes--” Paps tried to argue.

“--can be changed to include his presence alone. Let him in.”

A grumbled response.

“Thank you, Mrs. Bergara,” Madej said cordially. 

“What did you two do?” Ryan whispered.

“Killed the coven,” Madej murmured.

“The blood?”

“Deer’s. They threw a potion at me.”

“Are we just supposed to trust him?” Jake asked, a tad petulantly. 

“I do,” Mama said. “Now let’s get inside. We have missions to prepare for.”

And that was the end of the discussion.

\--

[outgoing text to: Dad 19:11]

Ryan: operation iystusyrlftaagdth v. 7 = complete

[outgoing text to: Dad 19:14]

Ryan: no one hurt, but staying in motel. cya tmrw

[incoming text from: Dad 20:31]

Dad: received. get some rest

[outgoing text to: Dad 21:01]

Ryan: you too.

\--

“Do you want a room when we get back?” Ryan asked. It had been six weeks since they added Madej to their clan, and Ryan had absolutely no idea what he did when they weren’t either on or preparing for a mission.

Madej was laying flat on his bed in the motel room, staring at his hand. He gave a small shrug, before deciding to smirk. “Don't you want to invite me to stay the night in your room?”

Ryan rolled his eyes. The bathroom door opened and Jake stepped out. 

“Stop flirting while we’re on a mission. We need to be focused.”

“As if his flirting is worth focusing on,” Ryan grumbled, but he opened up the layout to the house anyway. “You want to go over the plan again?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Boring, whatever.”

“Okay.” Jake looked down at the notes they had put together before the left the Bergara base. “‘Violence level expected: two. Dealing with human trafficking; one human and one demon in a vessel.’ Then the plan is, we break into her house, exorcise the demon, call the cops, and get out. Great?”

“Sure, great.”

“Yeah, great. How many girls do you think she has locked up?” Ryan asked Madej.

“Probably four. They’ll be on the main floor, and probably drugged -- she can’t have too many, and she can’t have them awake to conspire.”

“Madej and I will tie up the old woman, and you’ll exorcise the demon. It-- he can’t be within hearing distance of your exorcism, right?” Jake asked.

“Yeah. So, I can make sure everything goes smoothly with the old woman, then boom. I’m outta there.”

“That works,” Ryan said, nodding once. “You sure we should call the police? The demon could just be influencing her.”

“It isn’t. She summoned it, asking for the deviance and strength to capture young women. Dunno what it ever got out of the deal. Never asked. But clearly, it stuck around, so it must be getting something.”

“Alright. Let’s go to sleep, then we’ll execute Operation If You Screw This Up Somehow, You’re Released From The Agreement And Going Directly to Hell, volume 13 tomorrow morning.”

\--

Ryan opened a basement window, and a rank smell wafted out into the open air.

The story was, the old woman was capturing young girls, and was either killing and selling their organs to the black market, or selling their corpses. She’d been doing it for years before she had a stroke and lost the ability to capture them. So, she made a deal with a devil, for her strength back, and the function of her hands to cut precisely.

The demon had done what she asked for but, rather than return to Hell and continue to bargain for souls, stayed. It enjoyed her, in some weird fucking way that made no sense whatsoever, but it’s not like Ryan was there to ask questions. 

He scanned the backyard, before slipping inside the tiny window.

The smell in the basement was ten times worse and, as he landed, Ryan could feel something squishy beneath his feet. He didn’t bother to look down; he had locked eyes with a hellhound, who had just been devouring the innards of something -- or some one .

Someone who Ryan was also stepping on.

Beside the pitch black animal was a pale dude. Blond coiffed hair, long nose, slick pinstriped suit.

Ryan swallowed. Shit.

“Ooh, Ryan Bergara.”

Ryan barely held back his eye-roll. “Jesus, do all of you assholes know my name?” he asked, not bothering to keep up a pretense. 

“Usually we only hear about the infamous Bergaras, but your face is plastered all over Hell at the moment. A dedicated hunter you must be to make a deal with a demon which gives up locations and names.”

Ryan could feel the blood draining out his face. 

( Who else knows? Who else knows? )

Before he realized what he was doing, his dagger was out of his jacket and lodged into the demon’s neck. It dropped to the ground, convulsing. 

Ryan stared, watching as the hellhound poked its huge head down, sniffing the demon, before it swung its huge head towards Ryan, with fiery eyes blazing, and snarling, the sound rumbling the whole house. 

He watched as other hellhounds emerged from the shadows and, without looking away, he pulled out a pouch of pure salt and turquoise and dumped it onto the ground, not bothering to make a circle.

Oh, God.

He unsheathed his rapier. Pulled out another dagger. Used the tip to pull the rosary out from underneath his shirt collar, letting it rest above the cotton. 

The lights flickered once, twice, and went out. The windows went black.

It went utterly still.

Ryan never took his eyes off the original hellhound. Six other pairs of red eyes appeared from the darkness. 

He breathed out. 

In.

Out.

(His mind was silent.)

His mind was silent as he threw the second dagger between the eyes of the original hellhound. It screeched and snarled again, before beginning a charge.

Ryan had no choice but to swing blindly, hoping his rapier hit its targets. He began to chant a Latin blessing, which begged for the resurrection of once tamed beasts. Once heavenly beasts.

The rapier went through one of its’ sides and he quickly dislodged it. They were circling him; the turquoise bought him time. 

Then he remembered he wasn’t alone. 

( Jake .)

( They thought it was only a demon .)

Jake and Madej had gone through the front door; it was Ryan who was supposed to sneak in.

But he didn’t have time to think; all he could do was act.

Seven sets of eyes turned to six, then five. He continued his blessing, breathing heavily between each verse. He swung and swung. He couldn’t take the chance to yell out a warning; he needed every advantage he could get in this fight.

Another set of eyes went down. 

He took one hand off the rapier and spun in his spot, reaching into his jacket for another pouch of salt and turquoise. He patted his inside pockets, only finding other silver weapons.

They’d have to do.

He pulled out a switchblade and abruptly stopped spinning, catching a hellhound off guard and burying the blade in its skull. Its eyes closed.

Three to go.

He began another blessing, one that was more specific, asking for forgiveness on the animal’s behalf of its sins. It worked better; the remaining hellhounds starting whimpering as Ryan continued to battle.

The rapier clashed with one of their teeth, a sickening crunch echoing throughout the basement. Its’ eyes closed and a little bit of light began to leak through the window.

Two to go.

One pounced from behind and Ryan ducked, sending the rapier through its mouth. It gave a final snarl, before sliding off the blade with a wet squelch.

The room brightened.

One to go.

At the top of the steps to the left, the door opened.

“Ryan, you good?”

“Jake, look out!” he shouted, but it was too late. The hellhound’s attention shifted and it was already bounding up the stairs. He started screaming another blessing, this one Arabic and begging for protection against the wicked. It paused momentarily in its pursuit on the stairs, Ryan gaining a few seconds in the chase, enough time to slash at its back legs, and for Jake to see what was about to attack him, but it would only gain a leverage from there.

A hand shot out and grabbed Ryan’s ankle. He fell hard, groaning as his teeth hit the stairs. The hand pulled him bodily down the stairs and he could only watch helplessly as the hellhound jumped with its mouth open, prepared to take a bite into --

( Jake! )

“I’m g’ng t’ k’ll y’ sl’ly,” the demon said, yanking Ryan’s head back, away from the scene unfolding above them. There was a scream, but he couldn’t tell who it was. “Y’... ru’n’d me. Ruin’d.”

“What can I say?” he said, swinging his arm around and grabbing the dagger still in its throat. He twisted and listened to it scream. “I don't mind all that much, you God-damned scum.”

Ryan started an exorcism, when he felt a warm pressure on his shoulder. He started shouting as he swung around and came face to face with his brother. 

“Hey, hey, stop. Not yet. Madej’s hurt. Let’s just throw that leech into the circle you… made.” Jake paused. “You… Jesus Christ, what happened? Wait, hold on, don't move. I have salt in my belt. We’ll just make the circle around you two.”

(His mind was silent.)

Ryan was leaning heavily against the banister, with a steel grip on a rotting-wooden stair. He could feel his sweat drenching the back of his shirt, underneath the leather jacket.

He was having trouble catching his breath.

( Jake was in front of him, focus on his outline .)

Belatedly, he heard the demon laughing behind him. He wretched his hand away from the wood as he turned. 

Jake has just closed the salt circle when Ryan regained control of his panting, and stalked over in front of the demon, dagger still sticking out of its neck.

( It couldn’t pull it out itself; not with the blessing on handle .)

“What do you know?”

It laughed.

“P’vin’ th’ r’mors f’ me?”

He sneered. “You wish.” 

It tried to strike him, but its movements were slow and sluggish. He frowned; a simple injury to the neck shouldn’t have hurt a demon, or even affected it like this.

Then he remembered. 

( The noose .)

“Jake, go help Madej. I need to try something.”

His brother hesitated in his periphery. “Uh, I think you should go.”

Ryan blinked, and looked at him, stepping out of the salt circle as the demon tried to lunge again. It hissed and its fingers began to fry as it clawed to open the circle.

“Just help him outside,” Jake amended. “I can watch this leech for five minutes.” Then he stepped closer and lowered his voice. “You’re still breathing heavily and you’re covered in blood. Rinse off. I saw a hose outside.”

He looked down and realized it was true. He nodded shortly. “Okay. Be back soon. Do not exorcise him.”

Ryan ran up the stairs before listening for a reply, going through the basement door. The hallway was bright and covered in pink wallpaper. A quick glance around showed no picture frames, but plenty of frilly, white decorations and lace doilies. Madej was on the ground, next to a wicker side table, his right side bleeding heavily through his torn shirt. 

“Oh, shit, dude. What the hell happened?”

“Took a bite from a damn hellhound, shithead,” he snarled. “What do you think happened?”

“It actually hurts you?” The look Madej sent him had him putting his hands up in aquisence. “Alright, I get it, sorry. What can I do?”

“You have any lidocaine?” 

Ryan knelt down, wrapping an arm behind Madej’s back, underneath his arms. “Yeah, in the car. Let’s get out of here.”

“How strong?”

Ryan paused his ministrations to look at him. “I have no dea, dude. I just know we have it.”

( Focus on him, not on yourself. )

“Come on, let’s-- yep, perfect, get back up on your stilts, Madej. You’ve got it, long legs.”

Together, they took small steps, first down the hall, then through the back door, across the yard, towards the car. 

“You know, for such a lanky vessel, you’re heavy as shit,” Ryan commented as he opened the back door and let Madej slide inside.

He laughed a little, then winced. “What can I say? These bones hold something much more powerful than muscle.”

Ryan didn’t doubt it.

“Alright, budge over. I need to treat it, don't I?”

Madej did as he said. Ryan opened the backseat, pulling out the first aid kit. 

“How were the girls?” Ryan asked as he rummaged through the bag, pulling out saline, lidocaine, a needle, a pair of scissors, and suture thread. 

“They were passed out, but we were able to cut them free of their ties. Jake situated them safely.”

Ryan nodded. “We’re gonna have to lace you back up,” he said.

“That’s fine, I don't mind.”

“Since you’re possessing that poor bastard, he won’t die if we put in extra lidocaine directly into the wound, right?”

Madej shrugged, looking straight ahead.

“Madej.”

Reluctantly, he dragged his gaze back towards Ryan. His eyes were still red, but only in the iris. 

“No one else is in this body, just me. So, yes. The vessel will be fine. But,” he added, before wrinkling his nose, “you have to bless it.”

“Bless what?”

He scoffed, but still answered: “The lidocaine. A healing blessing against hellhounds and demons.”

Ryan blinked a couple times, before saying, pretty stupidly, “‘And demons’?”

He nodded sharply, twice. “You know it?”

“Yeah, of course. An Arabic blessing. One of the more powerful healing blessings. Doesn't work too well with humans, though.”

( Most don't. )

“Yeah, well. It’ll help me.” The scarlet rescinded, leaving only a slim outline of red around his pupil. 

( His eyes were pretty. )

“Alright, well.” He broke the eye contact and cleared his throat.

( What the hell is wrong with you? )

“Let’s get your shirt cut off.”

( He’s a leech. )

He opened Madej’s jacket up, and set the scissors along a seam, cutting it precisely open, revealing a pale expanse of skin, and a gnarly fite.

( He’s against your kind.)

He whispered the blessings under his breath over the open bottle of lidocaine. Madej tensed and froze, but nodded sporadically. His eyes were brown, and bright.

( It’s against your nature.)

He cleaned the wound with saline, whispering apologies under his breath, before pouring lidocaine directly into the wound. 

( Shut the hell up , he responded.)

Madej screamed, his back arching unnaturally, and his arm thrashing against the seat. Ryan moved to help try to keep his arms down, but with a gutteral snarl, Madej demanded, “Stay there.”

His eyes were flaming again.

Madej’s wounds hissed and steamed, before his body went lax and his eyes closed.

“Ah, shit,” he murmured, before laughing. Ryan stared at him, bewildered. “The blessing did exactly what I wanted it to do, but also -- not. It healed the bite. See? Look.”

Ryan did look. And he was right; the needle and sutures weren’t necessary. 

“Damn, that’s impressive. I had no idea that a blessing could heal a demon. It sounds pretty unorthodox, doesn’t it? Because blessings are generally --”

Madej grabbed his chin and kissed him.

Ryan didn’t respond, tense and eyes wide open as Madej kissed him chastely, pulling away once, saying, “My name is Shane,” before pecking Ryan again on the lips, once, twice, thrice, then pulling away completely and leaning heavily against the back seat. His eyes were glowing red.

He laughed again, but it was a little subdued. “I want you, so bad.” He blinked once, twice, and his head fell back, his eyes fluttering shut.

He seemed alright, so Ryan climbed out of the back, and returned back to the basement to help Jake.

He forgot about the noose, or why he was interested in the demon’s lack of ability to scream as it was banished back to Hell.

\--

The next day, Shane didn’t remember revealing his first name and kissing Ryan.

The next day, Ryan couldn’t forget Shane’s first name and the taste of peppermint chapstick lingering on his lips.

\--

[incoming text from: Mom 10:01]

Mom: Are you okay, honey? You seemed distracted yesterday after the mission.

[outgoing text to: Mom 15:27]

Ryan: yh i’m fine 

[outgoing text to: Mom 15:27]

Ryan: sorry i fell asleep

[outgoing text to: Mom 15:27]

Ryan: ill be home in time for iystusyrlftaagdth vol 18

[incoming text from: Mom 15:29]

Mom: Don't you think you should rename the operations that include Maday?

[settings . . .]

[turn on ‘Read’ receipt?]

[‘Read’ receipt turned on]

\--

“There is a chance you could kill a demon. You have to redesign a few of the runes on your rapier.” Shane drew a symbol on a piece of paper. “It’s cuneiform. Ancient alphabet and sadistic, to be frank. If you’re able to find their Achilles’ heel, it will kill them.” He handed Ryan the paper. 

“How do you know it’s died?” He traced the rune.

“The wound won’t bleed when you pull out the blade. I’ve only killed one demon before, and that was entirely an accident.”

Ryan looked over at Shane. “Wanna share with the class, Madej?”

“No, not really,” he said, but he was smiling. His red eyes were glazed over, like he was watching something. “I killed the demon I sold my soul to. I grabbed his-- uh.” He paused. “I grabbed its Achilles heel when I was first turned and just… Well, killed him-- it. I killed it.” He cleared his throat and picked up a pencil. “That’s how I found out about the Achilles heel to begin with. Most demons don't realize they can die again, though. I don't know what happens to them after that. It’s… a terrifying prospect.” He started sketching a rune.

Ryan slowed the movements of his cleaning, before saying, “Um. I guess, uh, sorry for your… loss?”

That caught Shane’s attention. “My loss?”

“Well, yeah.” He couldn’t look him in the eye, so he stared at his clavicle revealed only by the baggy black t-shirt Shane was wearing. “Y’know, it-- it-- it was a loss of ignorance. You found something scarier to ponder about than what your situation was, you know? Plus, it sounded like you knew the demon before you killed it.”

Shane nodded. “I did. I wouldn’t call its death a loss, though. The only good thing it did for me was keep my original body preserved.”

“That’s your original body?”

“Yep.”

“You were that tall?”

Shane laughed. “Yes, I was. I didn’t sell my soul for height, Ryan.”

Ryan grumbled incoherently under his breath, but smiled anyway. He stared at Madej’s legs, before snapping away his gaze and quickly saying, “I forgot, I have to…” He pointed towards the door.

Shane waved him away, and Ryan took it like a lifeline.

( Against your nature .)

\--

“We need to get out of here.”

“Jake, go back. Get Melinda and Bella, they’re good fighters. Jorge will be good, too; he’s one of the best potioneers our family has.”

“Ryan, you can’t stay--”

“Jake? Get out while you still can. If Sh-- If Madej is available, grab him, too. Mom would be useful, but I don't want her to get caught in the crossfire.”

“Ryan, I’m not leaving you.”

“Leave. Now. I can buy us time.”

“‘Buy us time’? Ryan, what--?”

“Go! Now! I’m not telling you again.”

There was a cackle in the distance and a roar of a fire igniting. 

“Please, Jake.”

A heavy breath.

“Good luck.”

“Luck is for people who need it.”

\--

Ryan desperately needed some luck.

They had tied him up, and his arms burned from the tautness of the bindings pulled over his head. He was hanging loosely and barely had enough leverage to hold himself up with his legs.

Goddamn, he was too short.

He drifted in and out of consciousness for God knows how long, before he opened his eyes and a young woman stood in front of him, smiling guilessly. 

“Hey there, Ryan Bergara.”

“Why do my enemies always call me by my full name? Like, it’s getting old as shit,” he bit out, realizing the strain was affecting his breathing.

“Aw, am I an enemy, Ryan? You won’t think so in a minute.”

She closed the space between them and kneed him in the groin. Ryan gasped, opening his mouth, and she shoved a bottle into his mouth, massaging his neck so that he swallowed. He struggled fruitlessly, and went lax in the restraints, his joints screaming at him to take off some of the pressure.

“What… did you do to me?”

“You tell me. Did you make a deal with a demon?”

To his horror, he immediately responded, “Yes.”

She smiled. “Good. I’ll be back.”

She turned and walked out and Ryan breathed heavily. 

( No, they can’t know. )

( What can he do? )

( Shane isn’t here to fight. )

( He didn’t break the deal; he was on a mission with someone else .)

( He can release him .)

His breath stuttered.

“Amadeusz, Shane Madej,” he murmured, his words no louder than a breath. “I release you of our deal. You are free to leave as you deem necessary at any point, which includes, but is not limited to returning to Hell, or any other place on Earth.”

For a second, he didn’t know if it worked. Then, he felt a tug, below his sternum, and a darkness was lifted from his soul, and he felt renewed. 

He didn’t dare waste his energy on struggling.

The door opened. Out came a demon, its eyes glowing orange, and its muscles bulging. It could definitely cause Ryan pain.

“Who do you have a deal with?”

“I don't.”

It blinked and sneered.

“And yet, I was told you did.”

“By who?”

The woman came back inside the room, smiling. “Hello again, Ryan.”

“You gave him a truth serum?”

“Yes, I already told you.”

“And yet, here he is. Lying.”

“Impossible. The High Priestess brewed it herself.” She looked at Ryan, the smile wiped from her face. “Do you have a demon deal?”

“No,” he answered.

“Did you have a demon deal?”

“Yes.” 

Shit.

The demon blinked and bared its teeth into the mockery of a smile. “With who?”

(No!)

“Shane,” he said, surprising himself.

“What is Shane’s real name?”

“Shane,” he said again. Shane was his true name.

“No demon is named Shane,” it said, disgusted.

Ryan wanted to respond, but carefully bit his tongue back.

“What did the deal entail?”

“Protection.”

“What type of protection?”

He hesitated and was able to control his answer a little better. “Protection of my family against other demons and protection not be exorcised.”

“Where is the Bergara household?”

State, give the state, give the state.

“California.”

“Where in California is the household?”

He clenched his jaw, saying, “South.” 

“What city is the household in?”

He tried to bite his tongue, but it didn’t work. “Not in a city.”

“Town?”

“Town,” he repeated. Didn’t ask a question.

It slapped Ryan hard, its nails dragging across his cheek.

“What town is the household in?”

“Not in a town.” 

“Then where is it?” it asked.

He thought of evergreens and palm trees and said, “Forest.”

“What did you get out of the demon deal?”

The abrupt change in subject panicked Ryan, and the first thing he thought of that didn’t give away any important information was, “Companionship,” which was so much worse, to be honest.

( Because it’s true. )

“Aww, is little Ryan Bergara too pathetic to find a real partner?”

“No, I found partners easy to get,” he replied.

“Then, what happened, big bad demon hunter? How’d you fail so bad at hating demons that you somehow became fond of one?”

“He showed humanity.”

She laughed, but the other demon wasn’t amused. “Enough of this useless chatter. Get out,” it told the girl.

“Hey, you can’t just--” 

He threw out a hand and she was pushed out the door, with it slamming shut behind her. Ryan could almost imagine the tendrils of its broken, black soul.

“Where is your demon friend?”

He was on the road last he heard from him, so… “I don't know.”

“When did you last speak to it?”

“Weeks ago.” Spoke to ‘it’ weeks ago. Shane was a ‘he’.

It growled under its breath. It scoffed. “Why protect a demon, hunter?”

“I care about him.”

It looked him up and down and, to his disgust, licked its lips. “I suppose I can see why you appealed to it.” It yanked his head back in the restraints and scented his neck. Ryan squirmed, feeling fear for the first time since he allowed himself to get captured. “Yes, I imagine it fucked you long and hard. You seem like you’d be one itching to get stuffed. Maybe you even enjoyed being held down, subservient. Only there to serve its needs.”

It smiled viciously and licked Ryan’s neck. Ryan shouted, just as the door burst open, and Shane came in.

Holding no weapon.

With zero backup.

The demon turned quickly, a knife already against Ryan’s throat. “He’ll be dead in less than a second if you make the wrong move.”

Shane raised his hands. “I don't doubt you.” He glanced down at Ryan. “I think I only want my toy back, though; I don't share well.”

The knife moved against Ryan’s throat and he felt the blood drip before he felt the pinch. “I think his bounty is far too high to waste him on the likes of you, Amadeusz.”

Shane smiled. “Then, I think it’s time I bid you adieu.” In a flash, a dagger materialized in his hand and flew into the wrist of the other demon. 

It shrieked, and Ryan swung as far backwards as he could in the restraints to get away from the other demon’s knife. He blinked, and then Jake was there next to him, cutting his hands free and supporting him as he fell forward.

“Let’s go. Madej’s got the fight just fine.”

Ryan could barely hold his eyes open, let alone walk upright. He didn’t think he’d be fighting again within the next 10 minutes.

(Maybe 20 would be fine.)

\--

Someone knocked lightly on Ryan’s door.

“Come in!” he called. Shane carefully opened the door.

“Hey, there.”

“Hey! Come sit down.” Ryan patted the edge of his bed.

Shane sat. He looked around. “Nice room.”

Ryan looked around. White walls, dark floors, older, colorful movie posters. Next to his bed, the rapier was within reach on its stand. His desk was messy with papers and maps and a small Bigfoot statue stood proudly, gazing across the room.

It was home.

“Thanks.”

“You still under the potions effects?”

“Eh, yeah. Easier to resist answering though, which is why I was able to say ‘eh’.” Shane laughed and Ryan bit his lip. 

Then he grew somber. “You released the deal.”

Ryan nodded. “I had to. They were trying to gather information about it, and I didn’t want to put you in harm’s way.”

His brow furrowed as he frowned. “Why not?”

“Because I’m falling in love with you.”

He didn’t mean to blurt it out. It kind of just… fell out of his mouth.

Shane blinked, as if taken aback, before he said, a little quietly, “I don't know if I can fall in love as a demon. It’s actually an interesting concept. Certainly, I can want and lust you, but love is… pure. Sweet. Kind. I don't know if I’m capable of that.” A wave of hurt rushed through Ryan as Shane pragmatically began to break his heart. His head snapped up when Shane continued. “But I think I’m as close as I can be. I think… No, I know I’d burn the world for you. 

“When I felt the deal release, I thought you died, and I was so scared. It was an even more terrifying prospect than eternal death.

“Also, you’re hot as shit and I wouldn’t mind spending days together in this bed.”

Ryan wheezed, startled into laughter. “C’mere,” he said. Shane scooched closer and Ryan pushed their foreheads together. “We’re in this together, Shane Madej. I trust you with my life, and with my family.” He pulled apart to look into his eyes. They were a hazy vermillion. “Will you stay?”

“For as long as you’ll have me.”

Then, Shane pulled off Ryan’s glasses, folding them up and pocketing them, before tilting his head to the side and dropping a kiss on Ryan’s lips.

His eyes drooped close, and Ryan deepened the kiss.

(His mind was silent.)

**Author's Note:**

> This was so much fun to write!!! I had a few more ideas and a few more scenes I wanted to execute, but personal matters got in the way, so I had to shorten this considerably. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed! THis event was so fun and I'm glad I was able to participate! 
> 
> If you liked it, please leave comments or kudos -- it's much appreciated!
> 
> Much love xxx


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